Method of and means for counting, sorting and bundling of bars, pipes and the like



June 2, 1964 w. J. HILL 3,135,076

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTING, SORTING AND BUNDLING OF BARS, PIPESAND THE LIKE Filed March 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. li jjWilliam }.H1'ZZ @ELOLQ W04 afflm4 June 2, 1964 w. J. HILL 3,135,076

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTING, SORTING AND BUNDLING OF BARS, PIPESAND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1962 5 54 m fn NH r W ,0 mfi aw H J1me 1964 w. J. HILL 3,135,076

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTING, SOR'IING AND BUNDLING OF BARS, PIPESAND THE LIKE Filed March 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ll/illiamHill M 842122 rflwd H I Zorneys (DASH/J 3 June 2, 1964 w. J. HILL3,135,076

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTING, SORTING AND BUNDLING OF BARS, PIPESAND THE LIKE Filed March 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

William Hill all, @ZZZIM ff/Md Hflwr -s June 2, 1964 w. J. HILL3,135,076

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTING, SORTING AND BUNDLING OF BARS, PIPESAND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 26, 1962 H m E n w s E m R U lA R I- 5 7 1 T Au 0 y NBC E R E III E em... 0 u- 5 u 5 am T H OH s b Sl. l l I III MASTER BIN FULL ROTATEI SHAFT 74' STOPS I MOTOR 33INVENTOR.

William FII'ZZ MfiLizi/z 5% H orneys machine.

METHGD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTWG,

This invention is concerned with assembling and'strapping into bundles aplurality of elongated elements, such as bars and pipes. The bars thatwould ordinarily be bundled by the present invention are those comingfrom a rolling mill. The bars, which have been cut to length, are movedon by suitable conveying means to the location of the bundler, where themethod of the invention is carried out by a preferred form of mechanismdisclosed herein.

While reference hereinafter will be made to the bundling of bars, itwill be understood that the invention is capable of bundling any type ofelongated element, such as bar, pipe, or the like, regardless of itscross-section, which may be round, square, hexagonal, or otherwise.

The principal object of the present invention is to cause a selectednumber of bars of proper length to be tied into sub-bundles through theuse of a known strapping The sub-bundles are immediately thereafter tiedinto master bundles, each master bundle consisting of a predeterminednumber of sub-bundles.

Since it occasionally happens in the cutting of the initially long barsthat some shorts are generated, means is provided for weeding out theshorts one at a time as theyare presented to the bundler, collectingthem in successive small groups and strapping each group as a bundle ofshorts.

Stated in somewhat more detail, the object of the invention is topresent a group of bars in parallelism to a mechanism which will pickolf one bar at a time from the edge of the group, inspect the bar forlength and, if it is of proper length, cause this bar and apredetermined number of subsequent bars to be positioned in a subbundletying notch. This desired number of bars is then strapped together andthereafter ejected from the subbundle tying notch to pass on to a largermaster bin, where the first arriving sub-bundle awaits the arrival of anumber of subsequently strapped sub-bundles. When the proper number ofsub-bundles has been accumulated in the master bundle bin, all of thesub-bundles are then strapped together to form a master bundle. Thismaster then be entered on a suitable ticket to be attached to thestrapped master bundle, which is then removed for storage or shipment.

While a preferred form of the invention will hereinafter be explained indetail, it will be understood that the constructional elements may bemodified while remaining within the present inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the invention showing the conveyor rollers thatbring the cut bars from' the back shear, the stop, the adjacent vibratorfeeding tables to which the bars are laterally shifted, the pick-offwheels and the bundling and strapping stations and related escapements.It will be understood that this plan view shows only a short length ofthe machine. In the com plete device, the elements are repeated andextend for at least the length of the longest bars that are to bebundled;

United States Patent "ice 3,135,076 Patented June 2, 1964 FIG. 2 is avertical section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of the various bundling elements;

FIGS. 4-, 5, 6 and 7 show the series of operationsthat occur to produceasub-bundle of bars and subsequently a master bundle;

FIGS. 8 to 13 illustrate the means for causing actuation or" the severalshafts that control the movements of the various elements; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic showing of the counting means used to put thevarious motors in and out of operation at proper times so that desirednumbers of bars may be first sub-bundled and then master bundled.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bars 2 are brought to the bundlingmachine position by a customary series of aligned conveyor rollers 4.The leading ends of the bars 2 will engage a suitably positioned tablestop 3 to be brought into alignment. With the bars 2 stationary againstthe stop 3, the transversely extending chains 6 are then raised and putinto motion to move the bars 2 laterally to rest on the alignedvibrating decks 8 which automatically put the bars into parallelarrangement if they are not already in that condition. The bar which ismost remote from the rollers 4 will rest against a plurality of alignedadjustable stops or depth gauges 10.

The chains 6, which are normally below the level of the rollers 4, arebrought into operation by raising the outboard idler sprockets 11 andchain troughs 13 (see FIG. 2) through clockwise rotation of lever arms12 that are secured to a control shaft 14. Not until the bars 2 havebeen raised by the chains 6 are the chains put in motion by theactuating sprockets 15. This prevents the bars 2 from rolling on thechains 6 as they are accelerated in the direction of the decks 8. Withthe bars 2 safely deposited on vibrating decks 8, the chains 6 arereturned to their initial lower position below the elevation of therollers 4 so that the rollers are then able to receive the next group ofoncoming bars from the back shears.

The vibrating decks 8 oscillate in a lengthwise direction atsufiiciently high frequency to cause the bars 2 resting thereon to alignthemselves as they advance toward the righthand end of the decks, asviewed in FIG. 2. The decks 8 have a slight downward slope of about 1 inthis direction so that the bars automatically congregate in a singlelayer at the righthand end. Vibration of the decks is achieved by theuse of a continuously rotating shaft 18 driven by an independentadjustable speed motor 19. Shaft 18 has at each deck 8 an eccentric ofshort throw equal to the desired stroke of the deck. This eccentric isconnected by link 20 to a bracket on the under side of the deck so thatthe eccentric motion of the link is transmitted to the deck. Each deckis carried by two flexible strips 22 and 24 fixed at their lower ends at23 and 25. These strips offer adequate support for the deck and loadimposed thereon but permit the required vibratory motion.

Advance of the leading bar beyond the ends of decks 8 is prevented by aplurality of aligned stops or depth gauges 10, already referred to. Ascan be seen in FIG. 2, each of these stops is pivoted at 26 and iscapable of limited swinging movement by operation of a Worm and gearadjustment mechanism 28. In a manner which will be explained, properpositioning of the stops according to the size of the bar will result inonly a single bar being picked up by the fingers of the continuouslyrotating pick-off wheels 32.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7 and 12, there is a shaft 30 which extends thelength of the machine and carries at spaced intervals a series ofpick-off wheels 32. Shaft 30 is driven continuously by an independentconvenonly a single bar 2.

tional motor reducer drive 33. The pick-oft wheels 32 are preferablylocated between the vibrating decks 8. Each pick-oil wheel carries aplurality of pick-oil fingers 34 spaced at suitable angular distancesapart. In the form shown, they are spaced at 60. The fingers 34 ex-'maximum size, the stops it will be in maximum retracted position to theright, as viewed in FIGS. 2 to 7. Thus the rising fingers 34 will pickup the end bar, and as soon as the fingers 34 have moved up out of theway the rest of the bars 2 will advance to the right until the new endbar has come into engagement with the stops 10. Pick-oil wheels 32rotate rather slowly and at a rate timed to the subsequent bundlingoperations.

If the bars being bundled should, for example, be of a diameter equal tohalf the length of fingers 34, then to prevent the fingers 34 frompicking up two bars togetherall stops ill will be moved to the left byadjusting mechanism 28 a distance in the vicinity of one bar diameter.In this Way, the rising fingers 34 will pick up it will thus beunderstood that appropriate simultaneous adjustment of all stops iii toa position properly related to the bardiameter makes it possible for thefingers 34 to pick up only a single bar of the size then being bundled.

The rising full length bar 2 initially shown at position A in FIGS. 4 to7 is carried over top dead center as at position B, and as the wheels 32continue their rotation the bar 2 starts rolling downhill along theskids 36 which carry the bar over the short bar pockets 38. The barcontinues down the fixed slope 4% until it engages a sub-bundleaccumulator notch 42 which is lo- .cated at the upper right end of afull length hold back in the form of member 44 pivoted at 46. Member 44is actuated by an eccentric 48 on the eccentric shaft 50. The eccentricshaft, when rotated 180 by an independent motor reducer drive 51,actuates a connecting rod 52 which swings member 44 from its upposition, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, to down position, as shown inFIGS. and 7.

After the bars 2 are individually picked up by the finfiers 34 of thepick-off wheels 32, the opposite ends of each bar 2 of full length willengage detectors 53a and 53b which actuate an electronic countingmechanism (see FIG. 14) so that when a predetermined number of fulllength bars 2 have been collected in the sub-bundle accumulator notch42, as shown in FIG. 4, the eccentric shaft 59 is automatically actuatedfor a half turn which drops the accumulator notch 42 to the positionshown in FIG. 5, thus allowing all of the collected full length bars 2to roll down into a sub-bundle tying notch 54. As this occurs, thelefthand end 56 or member 44 rises above the slope 4t) and acts as ahold back. The eflect of this is that subsequent full length bars 2coming down the slope from pick-off wheels 32 are temporarilyaccumulated atthe escapement hold back 56, as shown in FIG. 5.

While these subsequent full length bars 2 are being accumulated at thisposition, a commercially available band strapping machine 57 (see FIG.2), having units located along the bars 2 at suitable distances,automatically straps the bars that are resting in the sub-bundle tyingnotch 54. The AcmeSteel Company Model F5 Powered Strapping Machineillustrated in their sales Bulletin AD 342 1259 is an example of astrapping unit capable of being utilized in this manner. Tying of eachsub-bundle is accomplished in a relatively short time and well beforethere has been an accumulation of full length bars 2 at escapement holdback 56 equal to the number of bars that are to be next (tied at thesub-bundle tying notch 54.

After the sub-bundle has been tied, eccentric shaft 59 isautomaticallyrotated another half turn by motor 51 which returns memberi4 to the position shown in FIG. 6. As it moves to this position, theejector surface 58 at the right end of member 44 lifts the noW strappedsubbundle so out of notch 54, permitting it to roll down fixed slope 62to fall into a large master bundle assembly bin '64. With accumulatornotch 42 now back in up position, the full length bars 2 that had beenaccumulating behind escapement hold back 56 now roll down slope 4th tobe stopped and collected at the accumulator notch 42. When thesub-bundle counting mechanism (which has reset itself) has determinedthat the proper number of full length bars 2 are-again presentataccumulator notch 42, the above described action is repeated. Thesecond counted group of full length bar falls into tying notch 54 wherethey are strapped and then ejected as ejector surfacefiil moves upward,thus to cause a second sub-bundle to join the first sub-bundle in bin64. This series of operations continues automatically until the correctnumber of sub-bundles counted by the master bundle counter (see FIG. 14)has arrived in the master bundle bin or to be strapped as amasterbundle. This strapping is accomplished by either manual orautomatic strapping machines of known design which need not be shown orexplained herein.

In the same manner that the escapement hold back 56 prevents the descentof any more full length bars until the strapping of the sub-bundle atnotch 54 has been accomplished, there is a sub-bundle hold back in theform of notch 66 on the righthand end of member 63 pivoted at 70.Actuation of member 68 is under the control of connecting rod 69 andrelated eccentric 72 on shaft 74. Shaft 74 is actuated in timed 180rotation by an independent motor reducer drive 75. With member 68 in theposition shown in FIG 7, the previously strapped subbundle on is nowcaught by hold back notch 66 and held there until the strapping of thesub-bundles then in master bundle bin 64 can be completed. .If thestrapping of the master bundle should take overly long, it is of noconsequence as the next sub-bundle 60 coming down slope 62 from tyingnotch 54 will stop in a position behind the previous sub-bundle thenresting in hold back notch 66.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the master bundle bin 64 is carried on a loadcell weighing bridge 77 which by known means automaticflly weighs themaster bundle, and this information along with information as to thenumber of bars in each sub-bundle and the number of sub-bundles in themaster bundle may be printedon a ticket to be applied to the masterbundle. The master bundle is then removed from bin l by a crane. Withbin 64 clear, the operator starts motor to cause rotation of hold backshaft 74 which will drop the notches 66 so that all sub-bundlesaccumulated thereabove will then immediately roll downinto master bundlebin 64 to start the assembly of the next master bundle.

The description given above has been based on the assumption that allthe bars 2 will be of correct full length within predetermined limits.However, it occasionally occurs that a short bar will arrive at thevibrating decks 8; The present invention is designed to weed out anysuch short bars in a manner which will preclude any short bars being inthe sub-bundles 60 which are accumulated at the master bundle bin 64 forfinal strapping. The removal of the short bars is achieved in thefollowing manner:

Any short bar will, of course, be picked up by the fingers 34 the sameas the full length bars, but as the short bar is carried up and over bythe rotating pick-off wheels 32 the left end of the bar will not touchthe left detector 53b although detector 5311 will be actuated. Thus, asdistinguished from a .full length bar which actuates both detectors 53aand 53b to send one full length count signal to the sub-bundle counter,the short bar will actuate only detector 53a to send one short lengtcount signal to an electronic counting device (see reject bar counter inFIG. 14). The short length signal will initiate actuation of a solenoid79 (see FIG. 11) which opens skids 36 as follows: The skids are pivotedat 76. In the lower part of each skid body is an arcuate slot 7 8 (seeFIG. 3) in which is a crosswise extending pin 80 attached to a link 82.Link 82 is in turn pivoted at 84 to another link 86 keyed to anactuating shaft 88. When shaft 88 is rotated by solenoid 79counterclockwise through a sulficient arc, the pin 80 will movedownwardly to the left to cause skids 36 to swing clockwise suificientlyto open up short bar pockets 38. With pockets 38 open, skids 36 will bein the position 36' shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and in this position a shortbar 2 leaving the pick-off wheels 32 will automatically fall into thepockets 38. The opening of skids 36 is only momentary, and solenoid 79will promptly return shaft 88 to its original position. Skids 36 willlikewise be returned to normal position, closing pockets 38 so thatsubsequent full length bars may descend to the sub-bundle tying notch54.

When another short bar comes along, the above described procedure isrepeated. In course of time, a predetermined number of short bars willhave accumulated in pockets 38, and the counting mechanism gives analarm and stops motor 33 and the pick-off wheels 32. Then through theuse of manual controls, the operator actuates motor 91 (see FIG. 10) -tocause 180 rotation of the eccentric shaft 92 which through connectingrod 94 causes a reject pocket unloading arm 96 pivoted at 46 to swingclockwise a sufficient distance to lift all of the short bars out of thepockets 38, as shown in FIG. 3. The raised short bars then commence toroll down the upper surface of the reject pocket unloading arm 96 andonto the slope 40 where they will be caught by the, escapement hold'back 56 or the accumulator notch 42. As the short bars are lifted byarm 96, the skids 36 are pushed up and counterclockwise by the shortbars to open position at 36", as shown in FIG. 3. Counterclockwisemovement of skids 36 is possible because of the arcuate slot 78 which isof sufficient length to provide the necessary swinging movement beforethe lower end of slot 78 engages pin 80. The short bars are thenpermitted to roll on into sub-bundle tying notch 54, which at this timewill be empty. While in notch 54, the short bars may be strapped by thesame strapping means (manual or automatic) that straps the sub-bundlesof full length bars. The bundle of strapped short bars may subsequentlybe picked up by a crane operator for suitable disposition. Preferably,however, the bundle of short bars should be advanced to the masterbundle bin 64 so that they may be weighed and be in a more accessiblelocation for crane removal.

The electronic counting mechanism will now be described. One form whichmay be used consists of three independent signal receiving channels,each of which may be manually preset to provide an output signal whenthe predetermined number of counts has been received.

The first channel is arranged to receive full length signals from thedetectors 53a and 53b; the second channel is arranged to receive shortlength signals from the detectors 530V and 53b; and the third channel isarranged to receive signals from the first channel.

Assume that it is required to assemble full length bars in eachsub-bundle and 6 sub-bundles in each master bundle. The dial controllingthe first receiving channel is placed over the figure 15 and the dialcontrolling the third receiving channel is placed over the figure 6. Thesecond receiving channel is adjusted to a number corresponding to themaximum number of short bars that could be conveniently assembled in thereject pockets 38 in consideration of theirassembled cross-sectionalarea 8 (the bigger the size of the bars the fewer the number of bars).

Each full length bar passing by the two detectors 53a and 53b causes afull length signal to be received on channel one. When 15 full lengthbars have passed the detectors, channel one then sends a signal tochannel three, starts a timer, and through operation of motor 51initiates rotation of shaft 50 (see sequence FIG. 4 to FIG. 5). Thiscauses member 44 to be lowered from the raised position, at whichaccumulator notch 42 was exposed'and any tied sub-bundle was lifted outof tying notch 54, to the lowered position, where the assembled bars ataccumulator notch 42 advance into the tying notch 54. The bars from thepick-off wheels 32 are held back by the forward raised ends of member44.

The timer is manually adjusted for a length of time slightly in excessof the time required to place straps on the sub-bundle in tying notch54. At the end of the time period, the timer passes a signal whichthrough operation of motor 51 initiates 180 rotation of shaft 50, thuscausing the member 44 to assume the raised position, which lifts thetied sub-bundle out of tying notch 54 and permits the full length barsheld back at 56 to advance to the accumulator notch 42 (see sequenceFIG. 5 to FIG. 6).

After 6 counts of 15 pulses each have been received on channel threefrom channel one, channel three sends a signal which starts a secondtimer and through operation of motor 75 initiates 180 rotation of shaft74, thus,

raising the member 68 to prevent the seventh sub-bundle from enteringthe master bundle assembly bin 64. The second timer is manually adjustedfor a length of time slightly in excess of the time required to placestraps on the master bundle, weigh the bundlle, and remove it byoverhead crane. When the preset time is spent, the second timer passes asignal which through operation of motor 75 initiates 180 rotation ofshaft 74, thus lowering the notches 66 of member 68, permitting any tiedsubbundles to slide into the empty bin 64.

When the number of short length signals received on channel two equalsthe preset figure, channel two passes a signal which energizes an alarm(horn, bell, lamp) and stops the pick-off wheel shaft motor 33, thuspreventing any bars from passing the pockets 38 during the short barstripping process. By manual control, shaft 92 is rotated through 360.Thus the unloading arm 96 raises the assembled short bars and allowsthem to slide to the hold back surface 56 of member 44. Skids 36 areraised by contact with the short bars, and they re-assume the positionshown in FIG. 4 after the bars are removed.

It must be understood that the count signal for a full short bar pocket38 allows space for a few more short bars so as to provide time tocomplete the current subbundle tying operation. This is accomplished bya manual override control on the pick-off wheel motor, which permits thewheel to rotate and pick up sufiicient bars to complete the currentsub-bundle count of 15 bars. The automatic signal from channel oneindicating the assembly of 15 bars causes the shaft 50 to rotate 180through sequence FIG. 4 to FIG. 5, raising the hold back surface 56 ofmember 44 against which the short bars have assembled upon removal frompocket 38. When the allowed time for tying is completed, the first timerpasses a signal which causes shaft 50 to rotate 180, thus lifting thetied full length sub-bundle from tying notch 54 and advancing the shortbars to accumulator notch 42.

When the short bars have piled up at accumulator notch 42, shaft 50 isrotated 180, thus allowing the short bars to drop into the tying notch54 and exposing the hold back surface 56 of member 44. At this time themachine is placed on automatic run control. The short bars are tied andsubsequently lifted out of notches 54 and pass into the master bundlebins 64, where they may be weighed prior to removal.

The electronic counting device, with its several counting channels andtimer controls, may have a master control superimposed which willautomatically select the specific count and time required for eachoperation relative to the particular size or diameter of bar beingprocessed. Thus the operator would only be required to turn the pointerof the master control knob to the graduation or number on the dialindicating the size of the bar in process and by inbuilt switching ofthe circuitry all of the settings for count and time corresponding toeach bar requirement would be automatically set up.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided amachine capable of practicing the method of my invention. The machinepicks up one bar at a time, measures the bar to determine that it is ofproper length, counts the number of full length bars picked up, andcauses the bars to be assembled in a sub-bundle tying notch, at whichposition they are automatically strapped. Thereafter each strappedsub-bundle is caused to be deposited with other similar sub-bundles in amaster bundle bin Where, when the correct number of sub-bundles hasaccumulated, strapping of the master bundle will occur. I have alsoprovided means for determining when a short bar has been picked up andhave provided means for taking this short bar out of the normal stream,causing it to be positioned in a particular location where it may remain until a suitable number of other short bars has similarly beencollected. ,Thereafter the short bars are removed and bundledindividually and are not mingled with the sub-bundles in which the barsare all of normal length.

It is my intention to cover all changes and modifications of theexamples of the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure whichdo not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

, l. Mechanism for bundling a plurality of elongated elements comprisingmeans for presenting a succession of single elements in horizontalposition against aligned stops, a succession of rotatably mountedupwardly moving horizontally aligned fingers for lifting said elementsone at a time away from the said stops and thereby permitting anotherelement to move against said stops, means for rotating said fingers andmeans permitting said elements to travel away from said fingers bygravity to a collecting position, means for strapping said collectedelements in a bundle, and means for temporarily interrupting the descentof subsequent elements into said collecting position while the strappingmeans is strapping the previously collected elements.

2. Mechanism for counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elementscomprising means for presenting a succession of single elements inhorizontal position against aligned stops, a succession of rotatablymounted upwardly moving horizontally aligned fingers for lifting saidelements one at a time away from the said stops and thereby permittinganother element to move against said stops, means for counting theelements lifted by said fingers, means for rotating said fingers andmeans permitting said elements to travel away from said fingers bygravity to a collecting position, means for strapping said collectedelements in a bundle, said strapping means operable when a predeterminednumber of elements counted by said counting means have assembled in saidcollecting position, and means for temporarily interrupting the descentof subsequentelements into said collecting position while the strappingmeans is strapping the previously collected elements.

3. Mechanism for bundling a plurality of elongated elements comprising aslightly sloping vibrating table, a plurality of aligned stops along thelower part of said table, said table acting to align said elements sothat only a single element will engage said stops, a succession ofrotatably mounted upwardly moving horizontally aligned fingers forlifting said elements one at a time away from the said stops and therebypermitting another element to move against said stops, means forrotating said fingers and means permitting said elements to travelawayfrom said fingers by gravity to a collecting position, means forstrapping said collected elements in a bundle, said strapping meansoperable when a predetermined number of elements have assembled in saidcollecting position, and means for interrupting the descent of elementsinto said collecting positionwhile the strapping means is in operation.

4. Mechanism for counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elementscomprising a slightly sloping vibrating table, a plurality of alignedstops along the lower part of said table, said table acting to alignsaid elements so that only a single element will engage said stops, asuccession of rotatably mounted upwardly moving horizontally alignedfingers for lifting said elements one at a time away from the said stopsand thereby permitting another element to move against said stops, meansfor counting the elements lifted by said fingers, means for rotatingsaid fingers and means permitting said elements to travel away from saidfingers by gravity to a collecting position, means for strapping saidcollected elements in a bundle, said strapping .means operable when apredetermined number of elements counted by said counting means haveassembled in said collecting position, and means for interrupting thedescent of elements into said collecting position while the strappingmeans is in operation.

5. Mechanism for counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elementscomprising means for presenting a succession of single elements inhorizontal position against aligned stops, a plurality of sets ofradially disposed and aligned fingers mounted for rotation on a commonshaft parallel to each element as it rests against said stops, the outerends of said fingers extending beyond said stops not more than one andone-half diameters of the said elements, element supporting meansextending between adjacent fingers, stationary downwardly sloping slddsfor receiving each element from said supporting means after it has beencarried by said fingers upwardly past dead center to commence downwardgravitationally induced movement along said supporting means, acollecting position for el ments at which the elements will assemble onleaving said skids, means for counting the number of elements depositedin said collecting position, means for strapping said collected elementsin a bundle and operable when a predetermined number of elements countedby said counting means have assembled in said collecting position, andmeans for interrupting the descent of elements into said collectingposition while the strapping means is in operation.

6. Means for measuring, counting and bundling a plurality of elongatedelements comprising means for presenting a succession of single elementsin horizontal position against a plurality of aligned adjustable stops,a shaft adjacent and parallel to said elements, a plurality of radiallyextending groups of fingers mounted on said shaft, the lingers in eachgroup being aligned with the fingers of the other groups, said fingersof such length that when the shaft is rotated one set of'aligned fingerswill pick up only the element that is against said stops, elemeritsupporting means extending between adjacent fingers of each group sothat as the shaft is rotated each element will be supported by thefingers and the supporting means, skids for receiving each successiveelement from said support means as the element commences movementdownward by gravity after its supporting fingers have passed upper deadcenter, a plurality of aligned collecting notches positioned below saidskids to receive elements, means for counting the number of elementspicked up by'said fingers, means for strapping said elements into abundle and operable when a predetermined number of elements counted bysaid counting means have been deposited in said collecting notches, aswitch in said skids, means for detecting a short length element afterthe element has been picked up by said fingers, and means operable by 9said detecting means to open said switch whereby said short lengthelement is deposited in a second collecting notch.

7. Mechanism for counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elementscomprising means for presenting a succession of single elements inhorizontal position against aligned stops, a succession of upwardlymoving horizontally aligned fingers for lifting said elements one at atime away from the said stops and thereby permitting another element tomove against said stops, means for counting the elements lifted by saidfingers, means for inverting said fingers and means permitting saidelements to travel away from said fingers by gravity to a collectingposition, means for strapping said collected elements in a bundle andoperable when a predetermined number of elements counted by saidcounting means have assembled in said collecting position, means forinterrupting the descent of subsequent elements into said collectingposition while the strapping means is in operation, a second collectingposition adjacent said first collecting position, means for moving eachstrapped bundle to said second collecting position prior to entry ofother elements into the said first collecting position, and means forpreventing entry of a strapped bundle into said second collectingposition whenever a predetermined number of strapped bundles are in saidsecond collecting position.

8. Means for bundling bars into a succession of subbundles andthereafter bundling a plurality of sub-bundles into a master bundle,said means comprising a plurality of aligned upwardly moving fingers toengage the end bar of a plurality of aligned bars to carry said endbarupwardly and away from said other bars, means for determining that saidbar is at least a certain length, means for successively delivering saidbars laterally to a subbundle tying notch by gravitational movement,alternative means for stopping movement of said bar onits way to saidsub-bundle tying notch, means for determining the number of barscollected at the last intermediate stopping position before saidsub-bundle tying notch, whereby upon removal of said last intermediatestopping means a predetermined number of bars will simultaneously fallinto said sub-bundle tying notch, means for tying said bars While insaid notch, means for moving a tied sub-bundle from said sub-bundletying notch to a master bundle bin, and means intermediate saidsub-bundle tying notch and said master bundle bin for stopping a tiedsub-bundle on its way to the said master bundle bin whereby thesub-bundles then in said master bundle bin may be strapped and removedbefore the arrival of any more sub-bundles at said master bundle bin.

9. The method of counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elementscomprising the steps of arranging the elements in side-by-side relationwith the first element disposed against a stop, picking up the firstelement and shifting the other elements laterally until the next elementis against said stop, moving the first element upwardly, laterally anddownwardly to a collecting position, moving successive elements in themanner aforesaid to be deposited with preceding elements in saidcollecting position, counting the elements as they are picked up andafter a predetermined number of elements have reached said collectingposition then temporarily stopping movement of subsequent elements,strapping the said counted elements while in said collecting position,removing the strapped elements from said collecting position, and thenallowing the temporarily stopped elements to resume movement into saidcollecting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,648,252 Aldrich Nov. 8, 1927 1,969,160 Slusher Aug. 7, 1934 2,361,783McLaughlin Oct. 31, 1944 2,543,323 Marsh Feb. 27, 1951 3,018,596 Dvorakn--. Jan. 30, 1962

9. THE METHOD OF COUNTING AND BUNDLING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED ELEMENTSCOMPRISING THE STEPS OF ARRANGING THE ELEMENTS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONWITH THE FIRST ELEMENT DISPOSED AGAINST A STOP, PICKLING UP THE FIRSTELEMENT AND SHIFTING THE OTHER ELEMENTS LATERALLY UNTIL THE NEXT ELEMENTIS AGAINST SAID STOP, MOVING THE FIRST ELEMENT UPWARDLY, LATERALLY ANDDOWNWARDLY TO A COLLECTING POSITION, MOVING SUCCESSIVE ELEMENTS IN THEMANOR AFORESAID TO BE DEPOSITED WITH PRECEDING ELEMENTS IN SAIDCOLLECTING POSITION, COUNTING THE ELEMENTS AS THEY ARE PICKED UP ANDAFTER A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF ELEMENTS HAVE REACHED SAID COLLECTINGPOSITION THAN TEMPORARILY STOPPING MOVEMENT OF SUBSEQUENT ELEMENTS,STRAPPING THE SAID COUNTED ELEMENTS WHILE IN SAID COLLECTING POSITION,REMOVING THE STRAPPED ELEMENTS FROM SAID COLLECTING POSITION, AND THENALLOWING THE TEMPORARILY STOPPED ELEMENTS TO RESUME MOVEMENT INTO SAIDCOLLECTING POSITION.